Gateways:

At Southwestern, Dylan Hickey learned that being a scholar meant going into class prepared and ready to make connections. As an education major, she always wanted to get something out of her classes and hopes that her current and future students want the same from their classes.

Through the encouragement of her SU professors, Dylan realized that teaching goes beyond the content ... it is also about getting to know the kids as individuals. She plans to take her personal philosophy into the classroom - to be open to ideas and able to sit in a classroom with people who don't share your opinions and respect them.

As a student, Dylan studied abroad in Madrid, Spain. On campus, she was involved in the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority as the correspondence secretary and public relations chair, as well as in Kappa Delta Pi, the education honor society. And, as a senior, she was awarded the William Nick Sikes Outstanding Student Teacher Award. As active as she was, Dylan maintained the philosophy that "there is a time to be serious and a time to let loose." She still feels strongly that people need to find a sense of balance.

Currently running the After the Bell Program at Windermere Elementary in the Pflugerville Independent School District, Dylan and her staff work beyond the normal school day with about 25 students, using "fun activities like cool science experiments to help the kids succeed."

She is also one of the office managers for Visiting Angels Williamson County, a home health care company that assists elderly people who need help with basic tasks. She hires caregivers, helps with scheduling and is a liaison between caregivers and clients. "Both jobs are very different but very rewarding," she says.